Systems Thinking Research Articles

Service-learning Pedagogy: A Pathway to Empowering Students as A Catalyst for Sustainable Tourism Development through Civic Engagement and Community Development

The field of education for sustainable development advocates for new teaching methods that offer hands-on, engaging, and transformative learning experiences that encourage critical and systemic thinking within the framework of sustainable development. Higher education institutions strive to support the attainment of SDG 4 by promoting inclusive, fair, and high-quality education. Service-learning in higher education is in tune with the educational principles of critical and transformative pedagogy and facilitated through implementation of innovative pedagogical approaches in training professionals that will be socially critical and committed to social transformation, with the goal of achieving a larger social justice. Consequently, one of the major challenges attributed to the lack of social practice and community service in the learning environment leads to the detachment of students to the community, as well as the low social responsibility among the undergraduates. The study aimed to fill the research gap in the literature on the impact of service-learning pedagogies among students based on knowledge, attitude, and spirit and how it is correlated with professional development, personal development, social transactions. Furthermore, this study highlights how civic engagement and sustainable community development, the integral components of service-learning, contribute to and align with the principles of sustainable tourism. By connecting these elements, the research emphasizes the multifaceted benefits of service-learning in shaping socially responsible professionals and fostering sustainable tourism

Participatory Systems Thinking to Elucidate Drivers of Food Access and Diet Disparities among Minoritized Urban Populations.

The purpose of this study was to use participatory systems thinking to develop a dynamic conceptual framework of racial/ethnic and other intersecting disparities (e.g., income) in food access and diet in Philadelphia and to identify policy levers to address these disparities. We conducted three group model building workshops, each consisting of a series of scripted activities. Key artifacts or outputs included qualitative system maps, or causal loop diagrams, identifying the variables, relationships, and feedback loops that drive diet disparities in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. We used semi-structured methods informed by inductive thematic analysis and network measures to synthesize findings into a single causal loop diagram. There were twenty-nine participants with differing vantages and expertise in Philadelphia's food system, broadly representing the policy, community, and research domains. In the synthesis model, participants identified 14 reinforcing feedback loops and one balancing feedback loop that drive diet and food access disparities in Philadelphia. The most highly connected variables were upstream factors, including those related to racism (e.g., residential segregation) and community power (e.g., community land control). Consistent with existing frameworks, addressing disparities will require a focus on upstream social determinants. However, existing frameworks should be adapted to emphasize and disrupt the interdependent, reinforcing feedback loops that maintain and exacerbate disparities in fundamental social causes. Our findings suggest that promising policies include those that empower minoritized communities, address socioeconomic inequities, improve community land control, and increase access to affordable, healthy, and culturally meaningful foods.

Analysis of Adaptive Reasoning Ability in Middle School Students Mathematics Learning

Mathematics is one of the subjects taught in formal educational institutions, which is an important part of efforts to improve the quality of education. Students' adaptive reasoning ability in mathematics is reflected through their critical, logical, and systematic thinking, and their objective, honest, and disciplined nature in solving problems, whether in mathematics, other subjects, or daily life. This study aims to evaluate the adaptive reasoning ability in mathematics of middle school students. This research employs a qualitative approach with a descriptive method. The subjects of this study were 14 students from SMPIT Al-Irsyad Al-Islamiyyah Karawang, grouped into five levels: very high, high, medium, low, and very low. Data were collected from the tests on adaptive reasoning ability in mathematics to understand the students' reasoning abilities. Scores were given to students who answered each question based on the indicators achieved. The highest percentage was obtained on the indicator of forming conjectures, at 48.21%, while the lowest rate was 3.57% on the indicator of finding patterns in a mathematical phenomenon. Overall, the average results for each indicator were: Indicator 1 - 48.21%, Indicator 2 - 26.79%, Indicator 3 - 35.71%, Indicator 4 - 8.93%, and Indicator 5 - 3.57%. Therefore, the average percentage of student achievement in answering the adaptive reasoning ability test in mathematics was 24.64%. It can be concluded that middle school students' mastery of adaptive reasoning ability in mathematics is categorized as low.

THE METHODICAL BASIS OF FORMING SPIRITUAL AND MORAL QUALITIES IN STUDENTS BASED ON THE WORK “AKHLOKI NOSIRI” BY NOSIRIDDIN TUSI

This article highlights the methodical basis of forming spiritual and moral qualities in students based on the work “Akhloki Nosiri” by Nosiriddin Tusi. This work as a collection of ethical issues and their anaysis serve to teach the better approaches in teaching pedagogy. KEY WORDS: ethics, aesthetics, education, mental health, elimination of mental illnesses, family structure, rules of behavior, modesty, household management, child upbringing, moral development, systematic thinking, personal ethics, just society

“Global challenge program” projects themed on preventing zoonosis: developing One Health core competences in medical students at SJTU

Abstract Objectives To develop One Health (OH) core competencies in medical students, Shanghai Jiao Tong University has conducted an OH practice project named the “Global Challenge Program” (GCP) for three years. This study aims to understand the outcomes and challenges of the pilot projects, thereby providing evidences to support the expansion of One Health education program on a larger scale. Methods We conducted a questionnaire survey to a purposive sample of 48 participants who were involved in GCP projects. A questionnaire was designed to assess the effect of GCP projects on improving the core competencies of OH professionals. It consists of 32 questions divided into four categories: basic information, overall assessment, communication skills, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Statistical analysis was conducted and reported based on the data collected from the survey. Results A total of 42 students (87.5 % of 48 participants) completed the follow-up survey. Among them, 64.3 % perceived a significant improvement in their understanding of the OH concept and approach after participating in the GCP projects. Benefiting from the communication opportunities offered by the GCP projects, 24.0 % and 49.0 % of the students reported significant and moderate improvement in their international communication abilities, respectively. In addition, 74 .0% of the students noted that the GCP projects greatly enhanced their capabilities in interdisciplinary cooperation and systematic thinking in addressing complex health issues. Conclusions The GCP project has served as a pilot initiative for participatory OH education, contributing to the development of OH core competencies in medical students, particularly in systems thinking, international communication, and interdisciplinary collaboration. However, generalizing the experience of the pilot project to a large-scale education program for medical students requires careful revisit of the gaps of resources and talents in curriculum building and project operation.

Leveraging Systems Thinking to Dismantle Systemic Racism in Conservation

ABSTRACT In the early 1990s, the American Institute for Conservation (AIC) and other cultural heritage organizations began to formally address the lack of racial diversity in the US conservation field. Since then, a wide array of programs designed to attract a more racially diverse group of people to the field have been developed and implemented. Their impact, when measured by increased racial diversity in AIC membership, has been limited. Using the concepts of systemic racism, critical race theory, and systems thinking, this article explores how the conservation field got to where it is today and what it could do to become a contributing element of an inclusive society. Possible ways to leverage lasting change are proposed. An invitation to those who are interested in interrogating what is set out, finding the weak points, filling the gaps, and building on the strengths is extended to all readers.

Mapping the relationship between regulation and innovation from an interdisciplinary perspective: A critical systematic review of the literature

AbstractA considerable amount of work has focused on “regulatory innovation” in the social sciences. This scholarship has conceptually defined certain types of regulatory changes as innovations and explored how regulation, as a policy instrument, alters the pace of technological innovation. More recently, a renewed interest for policy mixes and more dynamism in industrial innovation policies around the world has increased the demand for advanced knowledge in this area. In this article, we systematically review the literature on the innovation‐regulation interplay, documenting its evolution, the prevailing thematic areas, and overlooked topics. While the orthodox regulatory stance, modeled on economic efficiency principles, is by far the main thrust, heterodox accounts, premised on systemic and evolutionary thinking, appear as important variations. The latter have recently burgeoned with new theoretical developments promoting the idea of regulation that not only allows for, but intentionally directs innovation.

The Effect of Organizational Capacity For Change To Achieve High Performance Organization in Public Research Institutions: Evidence From BRIN Indonesia

<p>Strong organizational capacity is necessary to ensure a sustainable or enhanced performance during any form of change. In this regard, changing for achieving a high performance is a must for an institution. This study, through a case study at National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), aims to investigate the effect of organizational capacity of a public research institution for changes to achieve high R&D performance. Eight dimensions in Organizational Capacity for Change (OCC) and five dimensions in High Performance Organization (HPO) were examined. Data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) method. The results reveal that OCC significantly affected HPO at the 5% level, as the value of t-statistics > t-table (1.96). The influence of OCC was 0.875, meaning that an increase in the OCC resulted in a rise in HPO. Furthermore, the structural model of HPO produced an R-square value of 76.6%, reflecting the extent of the diversity of HPO that were able to be explained by the model used in this study, while the remaining (23.4%) were explained by factors outside the model. System Thinking (ST) was revealed as the most dominant dimension in OCC, indicating that BRIN’s capacity for change emphasizes the importance of aligning structures, processes, people, and policy to foster adaptability and resilience. Meanwhile, Management Quality (MQ) was revealed as the most dominant dimension in HPO, indicating that it facilitates smoother transitions in BRIN during the period of organizational change to achieve better R&D performance.</p>

Systems Thinking and Business Competitiveness: A Systematic Review of 2012 – 2022

Systems Thinking and Business Competitiveness: A Systematic Review of 2012 – 2022

Identifying, Rating, and Categorizing Elements of Systems Thinking in Chemistry Education

Identifying, Rating, and Categorizing Elements of Systems Thinking in Chemistry Education

Implementation of High-Value Care for Physical Therapy Residents Through Systems-Based Practice Curriculum Development: Case Report.

Systems-based practice is a core competency for physical therapy residents, best acquired through experiential learning. Peer health professions are further along than physical therapy in implementing curricula that support systems-based practice. Clinical and practice data in residency programs could provide for education in high-value care (HVC) as a foundation for systems-based practice. Our purpose was to develop and assess a HVC curriculum incorporating reflective practice to help residents achieve competency in systems-based practice. The Logic Model, which evaluates key components needed for success and sustainability, was used to identify resources for a curriculum in HVC. Two orthopedic physical therapy residents and 5 faculty mentors participated in didactic and mentoring sessions. A practice dashboard for each clinician was developed to facilitate resident-mentor discussions. Focus group input was used to refine the curriculum. The validated Systems Thinking Scale, the Quality Improvement Knowledge Application Tool Rubric, and the American Physical Therapy Association Residency Core Competency Score were used to assess residents' progress and to make comparisons to prior years' residents. The residents demonstrated increases in systems thinking and quality-improvement knowledge and improvements in clinical outcomes and practice efficiencies. Three themes emerged from semistructured interviews: challenges to HVC, current approach in HVC, and future-oriented thinking in HVC in practice. This study demonstrates that HVC activities and a personalized clinical dashboard in a physical therapy residency program can facilitate experiential learning of systems-based practice, a core competency for value-centered, inclusive practice.

Sports Coaching Education Students' Perspectives on Systems Thinking Models through Mentimeter Media

Leadership is an effort made by someone with all their abilities to influence, encourage, direct, guide and mobilize other people to work with enthusiasm and confidence in achieving common goals. A person's leadership style is something important in human relations and depends on the level of maturity of the members and the goals they want to achieve. This educational activity is carried out online via Google Meet and uses an interactive lecture method to deliver the material. To warm up the media to give their opinions about leadership using the media meter given at the beginning and end of the activity. The results obtained from the initial media were regarding their response when they heard the word leader and in their opinion a leader must be able to be an example, protect and set an example for the people they lead. And in the final media minutes, to the question of what leadership model the participants chose, most of the participants chose a leadership model with a transformational thinking system when becoming a leader, because this leadership model is able to follow technological developments and advances, work professionalism demands, and changes in character. its users. Keywords: Leadership, Mentimeter, Education

Lessons for Sustainable Science Education: A Study on Chemists’ Use of Systems Thinking across Ecological, Economic, and Social Domains

This paper explores how concept maps can be structured based on researcher narration as a systems thinking (ST) approach in science education to portray the systemic nature of developmental work by chemists on solutions related to sustainability. Sustainability cannot be achieved without a systemic approach that considers all the domains of prosperity and well-being—ecological, social, and economic. Science education must respond to this challenge accordingly and find effective ways to include the ST approach. Data were collected from three semi-structured, in-depth interviews with chemists. The analysis was carried out using qualitative content analysis and modelling the systemic structures in concept maps as articulated by the chemists. The results show that authentic narratives of chemists’ developmental work can be used as material in a concept mapping exercise to reveal several ST elements and learning objectives, including leverage points and delays, that have not been presented in previous exercises. The chemists’ descriptions were also found to address the challenge of sustainability education by depicting a holistic and multidimensional picture of the reality where the developmental work is conducted. Furthermore, all three domains of sustainability were identified. The economic and industrial perspectives were especially valuable from the science education viewpoint.

The System Architecture-Function-Outcome Framework for Fostering and Assessing Systems Thinking in First-Year STEM Education and Its Potential Applications in Case-Based Learning

Systems thinking is crucial for understanding and solving complex problems and is considered an important thinking skill in engineering. Active learning is considered an effective approach for fostering STEM students’ systems thinking. However, viable methods for teaching and assessing systems thinking with active learning across STEM disciplines, particularly in first-year undergraduate education, are still under-researched. In this paper, we introduce a research-based framework named System Architecture-Function-Outcome to help first-year STEM instructors both foster and assess students’ introductory systems thinking. To conduct an initial evaluation of the framework’s suitability in active learning settings, we designed a directed case-based learning assignment with an adapted article and a rubric for assessing ‘introductory systems thinking’, as defined in the framework. We deployed the assignment among 84 first-year STEM students and successfully tested its inter-rater reliability, with 75–100% inter-rater agreement across all assessment criteria. We discuss the implications of our results on fostering and assessing first-year STEM students’ systems thinking, and outline examples for potential applications of the framework, pending further validation, in case-based learning settings of varying degrees of learner autonomy, from lecture-based to problem-based learning.

Aligning evaluation approaches with context: reductionism, system thinking, and pragmatic synthesis

ABSTRACT The Campbellian validity typology has been used as a foundation for outcome evaluation and for developing evidence-based interventions for decades. As such, randomized control trials were preferred for outcome evaluation. However, some evaluators disagree with the validity typology’s argument that randomized controlled trials as the best design for outcome evaluation, and with its strategy to maximize internal validity at the expense of external validity. The debates over these issues have been ongoing and intensive. This paper proposes a fresh idea for approaches to address this controversy, by bringing problem-solving philosophies into discussions. Three problem-solving philosophies have been used to develop intervention programs: reductionism, systems thinking, and pragmatic synthesis. This paper argues the validity typology is appropriate for evaluating reductionism-based programs only, but not systems thinking- or pragmatic synthesis-based programs. Mismatched applications of research designs in evaluation are sources of confusion and controversies. This insight indicates a pressing need for developing evaluation theories and approaches for systems thinking and pragmatic synthesis. Because the majority of community programs are pragmatic synthesis-based programs, this paper devotes to developing such solutions.

How Systems Thinking Provides the Foundation for A W‐Shaped Model of an Effective Technical Leader

AbstractTechnical Leadership is a relatively new subject that has not been adequately addressed in literature. Behaviors and skills of effective technical individuals and leaders are defined and cited often, including various shape models of individuals. However, a Systems Thinking approach for combining these two mindsets has not been documented. This paper's goal is to provide a background on effective technical and leadership behaviors and skills, relate them to the various shape‐based models of individuals, and ultimately present a novel W‐shaped model describing an effective Technical Leader whose foundation is a Systems Thinking mindset.

A Model for Trust and Distrust: The System Dynamics Approach

AbstractThe dynamics of trust have evolved from a reliance on human interactions to a newfound dependence on the seamless integration of automation and artificial intelligence (AI) in relationships. Because trust is still treated as elusive in prior research, in this study, we consider a society that utilizes trust as a system and present a panoramic perspective of trust in social systems using the causal loop of systems thinking. The perspective of systems thinking is holistic (integrative) and focuses on the interrelationships among components rather than on the components of the system. Thus, the architecture was presented by integrating the trust and distrust models identified in previous studies. To overcome the challenges presented in previous studies, a model for trust and distrust was developed using a system dynamics approach. By utilizing systems thinking, the dynamics of trust are clearly illustrated among individuals, between individuals and automation, and between individuals and AI. In addition, it will allow for a perspective on the dynamic relationship among trust, reliance, and dependability, which is being investigated in “Humans” and “Automation and AI,” and will contribute to trust research.

Evaluation of the Ghanaian Healthcare Environment and Patient Safety context using the SEIPS model of Work System

Objective: This paper aimed to evaluate hazards contributing to patient safety incidents within Ghana’s healthcare system using a human factors engineering model to trace risks across interacting domains. Methods: The Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) model framed analysis of challenges within the dimensions of healthcare Personnel, Tasks, Tools/Technology, Environment, Organization and Processes. Over 25 studies provided multi-dimensional empirical evidence, with insights synthesized across domains to depict risk pathways enabling patient harm events. Conclusions: The analysis reveals a severely overburdened and constrained healthcare ecosystem unable to reliably deliver safe care processes – with risks stemming from financing limitations, infrastructure deficits, equipment failures, health worker shortages and skills gaps, supply variability, leadership prioritization, and information systems. Solutions require coordinated commitment across these interdependent aspects. Recommendations: Six priority actions are proposed spanning governance, culture, staffing, health IT, quality programs and financing – grounded in concrete evidence-based initiatives but connected through systems thinking. Significance: This systems analysis substantially advances understanding of patient safety threats in Ghana to motivate action. The model approach further demonstrates application of human factors engineering methods to diagnose healthcare quality challenges in limited-resource settings.

Optimising Perinatal Mental Health: Implementation Framework for Integrating Interventions into Primary Healthcare Systems

BackgroundThe high burden of perinatal mental health (PMH) conditions has spurred international efforts to integrate PMH services into primary healthcare (PHC). Despite the existence of evidence-based PMH interventions endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO), there is lack of guidance frameworks for the effective and sustainable integration of these interventions into PHC systems to make them fair and responsive to women and infant needs, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). ObjectiveWe propose the "Implementation Framework for Integration into the Primary Healthcare System" (IF-IPHS) – a systematic approach to guide integration of PMH interventions into PHC settings. Approach and framework componentsOur approach is based on contemporary, empirically-derived frameworks and WHO guidelines on PMH, emphasising the significance of implementation science and health system thinking. The implementation framework for integration into the PHC system consists of two iterative phases: (I) Adaptation: involves modifying and pilot-testing of established PMH interventions to meet target population needs, guided by human-centred design. (II) Adoption: focuses on development of policies and resource allocation mechanisms through mobilization and stakeholder engagement for sustained integration of PMH intervention across all healthcare system components. Broader applicabilityThe IF-IPHS is designed to assist and empower health system stakeholders (e.g. policymakers, practitioners, researchers, funders) in LMICs. It offers practical guidance for systematically integrating effective PMH interventions into PHC systems through context-specific adaption process and adoption strategies, taking a holistic approach beyond mere clinical and programmatic considerations. It can also serve as a flexible roadmap for integrating various health interventions beyond PMH within PHC systems.

The Electric Revolution: Fully Electric Transportation System on An Urban College Campus

AbstractThis paper offers a comprehensive exploration of the implementation of fully electric transportation systems within urban college campuses. Urbanization and environmental concerns have intensified the need for sustainable transportation solutions, and college campuses serve as ideal testbeds for innovative mobility initiatives. The paper begins by establishing the context through background research, which highlights the adverse effects of urban air pollution and the role of electric vehicles (EVs) in mitigating these issues. The driving forces behind the adoption of fully electric transportation systems are discussed, Benefits, challenges, and implications of implementing electric transportation systems are meticulously examined. The anticipated benefits encompass improvements in air and noise pollution, reduced operational costs, and enhanced campus reputation. Nevertheless, the challenges of infrastructure costs, charging management, and operational intricacies are acknowledged. The paper underscores that successful implementation goes beyond immediate advantages, positioning campus electric transportation systems as living laboratories for research and innovation in sustainable mobility. Additionally, these systems serve as models for neighboring communities and influence regional transportation policies. The paper concludes by laying the groundwork for forthcoming discussions. It highlights the subsequent sections' focus on planning, stakeholder engagement, technological integration, and operational management, which collectively shape the implementation. The paper will employ the application of Systems Thinking approaches, tools, and techniques in order to properly analyze and tackle the problem statement at hand.